Easton Sports Inc. last week filed suit in the U.S District Court in Michigan against New Balance Athletic Shoe and its Warrior Lacrosse subsidiary, charging that the two companies “engaged in a campaign of industrial espionage, stealing Easton’s trade secrets, and raiding its employees.”

At issue is Easton claim that Warrior and NB attempted to induce Easton’s director of hockey marketing, Hamoyun Ghassemi, to provide Warrior with Easton’s trade secrets and to develop a plan to enter the hockey equipment business. The plan allegedly included the acquisition of Innovative Hockey and the solicitation of other Easton employees.

The suit further alleges that Ghassemi did create a business plan for “Warrior Hockey”, which would compete with Easton. Easton alleges that Ghassemi utilized Easton trade secrets in preparing the plan.

Easton states in its suit that Ghassemi allegedly engaged in secret communications with the president of Innovative Hockey to persuade him to agree to be acquired by Warrior at the same time Easton was attempting to acquire Innovative.

The suit goes on the detail a number of actions allegedly taken by Ghassemi to steal files and encourage Easton employees to join the Warrior organization. The suit also alleges that some of those employees attempted to steal trade secrets, but were foiled in their attempts.


>>> Just wondering why anyone would spend so much energy trying to get into the hockey business at this point when lacrosse is the hot hand and hockey is suffering big time…